Pray the Vote
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a joint announcement expressing confidence that any attempts to manipulate votes or compromise election infrastructure on any large scale are unlikely. They stated that such actions will be detected and thwarted.
The Colorado Secretary of State’s office mailed voter-registration instructions to roughly 30,000 non-citizens living in the state. The agency said it is attempting to determine why the registration postcards were sent to people who had non-citizen state driver’s licenses.
Pray for election and agency officials as they endeavor to protect the security and integrity of the coming midterm elections.
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
According to a joint statement, the U.S. military and South Korean forces held joint missile drills over the Yellow Sea to “showcase combined deterrent and dynamic strike capabilities.” These exercises were in response to North Korea launching a ballistic missile over Japan.
U.S. Africa Command stated that they conducted an airstrike that successfully took out Abdullahi Nadir, a top-ranked official with the Islamic terror group al-Shabab. They reported that no civilians died or sustained injuries in the attack.
Pray for U.S. Armed Forces leaders and commanders as they attempt to maintain America’s military readiness in an uncertain world.
War in Ukraine
Ukrainian forces broke through Russian lines on two fronts late last week during counteroffensives in territories President Putin recently declared to be part of Russia. Ukraine appears to be quickly recapturing territory but may have a narrowing window to gain ground before winter weather makes offensive operations difficult and before Russia is able to bring in newly-drafted soldiers to reinforce their lines.
Pray for wisdom for U.S. and Ukrainian leaders as they respond to Russia’s missile strikes on civilian infrastructure and civilian lives in Ukraine.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
The Southeastern Legal Foundation has asked a dozen U.S. colleges to change their speech policies, which the nonprofit group considers “unconstitutional” and interfering with students’ freedom of speech. The group said that many of the colleges have speech policies “so vague that students do not know how to even comply with them.”
Pray for groups and organizations that are seeking to defend and promote free and open debate in colleges which has been hampered by speech policies.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
North Korea says it has underwater missile silos. The regime of Kim Jong Un said soldiers are practicing loading tactical nuclear warheads under a reservoir in the country’s northwest. Weapons experts doubt the regime has serious plans for such a stealthy missile-launch system, but they see a strategic purpose for Pyongyang in trying to suggest that any of the country’s reservoirs, lakes, and surrounding seas could be a potential threat.
According to the head of the U.K.’s economic intelligence agency, China’s efforts to exert complete control over technology, both internationally and within its borders, threaten future global security and freedom.
Pray for discernment for the president and his foreign policy advisors regarding the increasing tensions that exist between North Korea and its neighbors and how it is supported by China.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
According to medical records of 330 million Americans analyzed by Komodo Health, childhood gender dysphoria diagnoses soared 70 percent from 2020 to 2021. While most children who are diagnosed with the disorder do not medically transition, the rate of children on puberty blockers more than doubled from 2017 to 2021, to just over 5,000.
The CDC reports that long COVID is currently affecting nearly 24 million adults in the U.S., with more than 80 percent saying they are having trouble carrying out daily activities. Long COVID symptoms can include shortness of breath, cognitive difficulties, and symptoms that worsen even with minimal physical effort, a primary indicator of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Pray for parents and guardians as they seek to protect children from transgender ideology and gender confusion.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Israeli and Lebanese leaders appear to have agreed to a U.S.-brokered deal that will let both nations have access to gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean. This would potentially end a decades-long dispute over their maritime border, easing growing military tensions and providing a desperately needed source of income to Lebanon’s collapsing economy.
Israelis in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv issued a message of support for Iranian activists who have raised their voices against the ruling Islamic regime of Iran as protests in Iran entered their fourth week.
Pray for the people of Israel as they prepare for the elections coming up on November 1 and that God’s will would be accomplished in the outcome.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
The Institute for Supply Management reported that manufacturing activity grew at its slowest pace in nearly 2-1/2 years in September. Their survey showed that new orders decreased amid aggressive interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.
Social Security will announce its cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2023 later this week, which could be as high as 8.7 percent. This would be the highest rise for seniors and those on disability since 1981, when Social Security beneficiaries received 11.2 percent more on their checks.
Pray for wisdom for members of the Federal Reserve as they consider yet another rate hike to slow inflation.
Pray for Justice in America
The CEO of an election software company has been arrested after investigators discovered company ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Charges against the CEO were leveled “as part of an investigation into the possible theft of personal identifying information,” the Los Angeles District Attorney said. However, he was quick to point out that the arrest and investigation were not related to election tampering.
Pray for judges and prosecutors working on cases related to interference in U.S. elections.
Pray for Goodness in America
In Arkansas, a Starbucks barista prayed with a drive-thru customer in what others are calling “boldness in faith.” “This act of kindness and boldness in faith given out to others daily by people like Carrie, gives me hope and reminds myself and hopefully others that being kind and praying for someone doesn’t cost anything,” said another customer.
Give thanks for those willing to stand for their faith in the workplace, and for workplace managers and others who support or encourage it.
Pray for America’s Media
The Election Integrity Partnership, founded 100 days before the 2020 presidential election to be a watchdog on election misinformation, in consultation with federal agencies, has honed in on 20 alternate or conservative news organizations as “most dominant domains across election integrity incidents.” They have also identified 21 “most prominent repeat spreaders of misinformation on Twitter.”
Pray that U.S. officials in all branches of government would protect the freedom of the press, including the rights of conservative news outlets.
Pray for America’s Education
A Pennsylvania biology teacher who was suspended for refusing to follow the school’s preferred pronoun policy has been reinstated by the district after parents and others objected.
According to higher education lobbyists, President Biden’s administration plans to end an investigation into undisclosed foreign funding of U.S. colleges and universities. The investigation has been the subject of years of warnings from elected officials, law enforcement, and academic freedom groups.
Pray for U.S. educators and institution leaders as they consider foreign influences in higher education.
Pray for America’s Technology
Honda Motor and LGE Energy Solutions said they will build a new joint venture $4.4 billion battery plant in Ohio. Their joint venture is pending regulatory approvals. EV batteries produced at the new JV plant will be provided to Honda auto plants to produce EVs to be sold in North America. Honda intends to make EVs and fuel cells represent 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040.
Pray for administration and private sector officials as they evaluate the issues surrounding the technology in the batteries for electric vehicles.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The West Virginia Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision that blocked a public scholarship fund for use at private schools, holding that the circuit court erred when it said the school voucher was unconstitutional. The State Supreme Court said the program is indeed constitutional, thus allowing it to provide money for students leaving the public school system for either charter, private, religious, or home-schooling.
A new Minnesota Department of Agriculture grant is helping 44 Minnesota service stations offer customers more and greener options at the gas pump. The program is awarding over $6.4 million to offset the cost of investing in upgraded retail petroleum dispensers, fuel storage tanks, and other equipment compatible with motor fuel containing higher blends of ethanol. The grants are part of a larger program to aid farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and others across the state.
Pray that state agency and government officials would keep the focus on citizens uppermost in their rulings or regulations.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“When we give with sacrificial sincerity, God opens the windows of heaven to bless us (Malachi 3:10). He is overjoyed with small gifts, sacrificially given, prayerfully offered, and joyfully rendered to him as an act of worship. … The world has been changed by the Gospel in a million ways because of two millennia of people regularly giving their precious little. As the hymn says, “Little is much when God is in it.”… If you have much, don’t hesitate to give in ways small and large. If you have but a precious little, don’t be afraid to offer it to the Lord.” – Dr. David Jeremiah, October 2, 2022
